What A Strange Thing
Let's face it. Exercise is one of those things most of us hate. It's a strange thing. When someone says to me "exercise," I want to run into the next room so I can avoid the topic altogether. Even though we know we should do it, somehow there always seems to be more important things that need to get done, and before you know it it's time for bed! Oh well, I'll start tomorrow, right? Where do I start? What type of exercise is best suited for me? Do I really need to exercise? Isn't dieting enough? These are questions I asked myself.
Daily activity matters. Moving is good. One day I wore a pedometer to work. I was so sure I was active. I wore it with pride, making sure it was secure and placed in the right location so every step would be accurately recorded! After all, I needed to count every step. Boy was I surprised! I barley got 2,000 steps. Shocking! I thought, I've got to do something, but where was I going to add one more thing into an already packed day?
Being in the middle-aged category, I had already began to notice my metabolism slowing down. Weight was creeping up slowly, and I knew it wasn't going to go away. I work full time, have three young adult daughters, two of which are still at home. Even though they do somewhat have their own lives, they are home in the evenings...usually hungry. Our family chooses to have supper together each night as a means of connecting with one other, so that means someone has to prepare the meal. That role falls to me. One of my many weaknesses is the inability to delegate. I enjoy cooking and preparing nutritious and flavorful food for my family. I'm not really creative, but I am known to "doctor" a recipe or two. Anyway, after a full day of working in a busy dental office, I'm wiped out. But no chance to relax yet...off to my second job! Once I'm home, I clock in to begin supper, cleaning up messes that were made from the morning rush, taking care of the beasts (my two dogs and a handful of chickens.) Whew! Just when was I going to exercise? I'm too tired!
What really snap me into making a change was an event. In 2011, my husband and children's father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This was devastating! At 52, he was healthy, hard-working man. A manly man, if you will. It was that moment my role changed forever.
Choices took on a new dimension. I vowed more than ever to lead by example by exercising and becoming aware of what I put into my body.
With trial and error, I lost my goal of 10 pounds, plus 5 more that came off without trying. I truly believe the combination of food choices and exercise is what jump started my metabolism for me. I hope you will be inspired to take charge of your life in all ways. Humans are complex organisms. What works for one may not work for another. The key is not to give up on yourself. You are worth the effort to be healthier!
Health-bite: be active TODAY
